Author: TheScrutinyNG

Human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi, has been granted bail by the Ekiti State High Court. The court granted Farotimi bail in the sum of N50 million, with a surety of the same amount. The court ruled that the surety must possess a landed property and adjourned the matter to January 29, 2025, for further proceedings. Farotimi was taken to court by Chief Afe Babalola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, after being arrested by operatives of the Ekiti State Police Command. Babalola, 95, accused Farotimi of defaming him in a book titled Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System. The arrest sparked…

The Edo State Government has congratulated Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on the occasion of his 62nd birthday, on December 9, 2024. The state government, through a press statement signed by Fred Itua, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, said this milestone is an evidence to Senator Akpabio’s beautiful journey in public service. The statement said Senator Akpabio’s distinguished career has been characterised by exceptional leadership, wisdom, and dedication to Nigeria’s democratic process. “His achievements as governor of Akwa Ibom State have left a lasting legacy, earning him recognition as a “jinx breaker. “His historic election to the Executive Committee…

Renowned British rapper Jay-Z, born Shawn Carter, has been embroiled in a shocking legal battle after being accused of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2000 along with Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. Initial reports surfaced in October, naming Combs as the sole defendant in a federal lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York by an anonymous accuser named “Jane Doe”. The suit was renewed on Sunday to encompass Carter as well. Despite the seriousness of the accusations, attorney Tony Buzbee, the driving force behind the lawsuit, chose to remain silent on the matter, leaving the allegations hanging in the balance.…

Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, has said that the issues and debates over the Tax Reform Bills are healthy as long as they are constructive and are done with good intentions. He highlighted that President Bola Tinubu is a committed democrat who believes in Nigeria, and understands the right of people to debate. The budget minister called on all stakeholders to lobby, interrogate the process, talk to their representatives, and make their input for a better outcome. Bagudu pointed out that the exercise was not a monologue but people are expected to make reasonable, respectable, proper…

Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior, has reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment towards promoting peace, fostering understanding and driving economic development through tourism. The minister stated this while speaking at the 100 years anniversary of Okeagbe community, emphasised the present administration’s focus on enhancing peace and unity through cultural inclusivity. Tunji-Ojo who said the president is passionate about the country’s value and unique image, disclosed that the recently rebranded the Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy (FMACTCE) to enhance peace and unity. While highlighting the vital role of tourism in advancing national and global peace efforts, in line…

Former Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State charged African political leaders to emulate Ghana’s politics, especially its electoral process. Fayemi, who also served as chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) stated this in his congratulatory message to Ghana’s president-elect, John Mahama, on his victory in the country’s recent general elections. Nigeria cultural tours In a statement he issued on Sunday, Fayemi commended Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the presidential candidate of the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP) for his gracious concession speech, noting that ‘’his acceptance of the electoral outcome in the spirit of peace and national unity exemplifies the very best…

The chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has hailed Ghana for the seamless conduct of the 2024 presidential election. Former President John Mahama emerged winner of Ghana’s presidential election held on Saturday, December 7, 2024, after his main opponent, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, conceded defeat. The head of the Nigerian electoral umpire who monitored the election, in a video posted on INEC’s social media platform, said Ghanaian politicians always stay in one political party, leading to the stability of democracy in the West African country. Yakubu stated that Ghana learnt the practice of managing results at the…

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has advised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other northern politicians aspiring for the presidency to exercise patience until 2031, asserting that the region’s turn for the nation’s top seat is not in 2027. He also has appealed to Nigerians to allow the tax reform bills to scale through required legislative processes, stating that the bills were well envisioned for Nigerians. The SGF defended the Tax Reform Bills as visionary legislation designed to rescue the nation’s economy, urging Nigerians to support their passage through the National Assembly. Speaking on…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has nabbed a suspected drug trafficker, who claimed to be a building engineer while attempting to take a delivery of a consignment from South Africa. The NDLEA spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi said in a statement on Sunday in Abuja that the illicit drugs were concealed in pressure machines. Babafemi said that the 42-year-old suspect was arrested on Dec. 2, at Okeyson motor park in Enugu. “The suspect showed up to collect three units of pressure machines inside which were hidden parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, weighing 7.40kg,” he said. The…

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has allayed fears over the new COVID-19 Variant, XEC, urging Nigerians not to create unnecessary panic. The NCDC said though there has been a reported rise in COVID-19 cases linked to the XEC variant, in 43 countries across different continents, Europe, Asia, North America and recently in Botswana, Africa, there has not been reported case in Nigeria since January 2024 of the XEC variant which are descendants of the Omicron lineage JN.1. The NCDC noted that the SARS-CoV-2 XEC subvariant, a descendant of the Omicron lineage, has been detected in several countries, including…